Her Sky Mates

by Lark Sterling

  Iris gave him a sad smile. "There's a lot of things I'd like to ask my mother as well, but our time together in my visions is so sporadic, and I never know when they're going to happen. When I hear or see her, all the questions I have float right out of my mind."

  Arsenio stretched his arms wide, folding his shoulders back and pushing his large solid chest forward. The gold in his eyes flickered in the candlelight. “Well, I better get out there and relieve that guard that’s standing out front. If you need anything, please, just open the door and let me know.”

  Iris walked him over to the door, but before opening it, she lifted on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, not only for looking out for me tonight, but helping Frodi and me at the church. We were in a tough position."

  Arsenio bowed his head. “And I’ll do it over and over again if need be.”

  With that, he walked out into the hall as Iris shut the door behind him. She smiled to herself as she climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. Suddenly, Iris wasn't as awake as she had thought. She felt comforted by Arsenio's strength, knowing he was there to protect her. Very slowly, her eyes began to shut, and she drifted off into the dream world.

  Chapter Eight

  Iris could feel the cool air floating across her skin, and hear the crunch of leaves beneath her feet. Slowly she opened her eyes, finding herself in the dark, surrounded by trees and thick brush. Iris didn't recognize where she was, but at the same time, she could feel a pull in her chest. A light fog rolled over the ground in front of her, and the sound of bugs and whatever creatures were lurking in the woods echoed through her ears as if she were in a tunnel. She scrunched her face, rubbing her head, trying to get her mental fog to lift.

  Iris knew that she wasn't anywhere familiar, but at the same time, her mind couldn't reconcile how she ended up where she was. Before she could work through it any further, she heard the sound of a Tiger's roar reverberate through her head. It sent a chill down her back and pain through her temple. She gasped, putting her fingers to her head, and bent forward, a feeling of dizziness in her mind.

  Through the rustle of trees, floating on a soft breeze, she heard her sister, Althea, almost singing in anger. She couldn't understand what she was saying, but the pull in her chest yanked at her, forcing her to take a step forward and then another, and then another until she was at a full run. She stepped through what looked like a cutdown archway in the thick vines, but stopped, finding several people in front of her. They were all shifted into their animal forms, Bears, and she knew exactly which one of them was her sister.

  Althea was larger than she remembered, and she could see a rage flowing over her like the waves of heat across the asphalt in summer. There was energy surging through her, and her Bear reared up on its back legs. It lifted high up into the air, the tips of her large claws reflecting the moonlight shining down through the canopy. To her left was another Bear, watching, his eyes wide looking shocked, noticeable even on the face of a Bear. As her feet slammed down into the moist ground below, Iris watched in awe as a radiating blast erupted all around her.

  Iris followed the ring of energy as it blew outward, heading straight for two other Bears and several Tigers. She could hear the bear to Althea's left yell out in his mind to the other two. "Minco, Billy, get down!"

  Both of the Bears dropped to their stomachs while the Tigers looked up, finding just a split second of realization before their bodies were thrown through the air, slamming into the trees behind them. There was a loud cracking sound as their bodies twisted and contorted, falling to the ground. Immediately Iris looked over to her sister, figuring that her soft heart and kind ways would make her realize what she had done, but she looked proud instead. The Tigers shifted into their humans, lying naked and broken on the ground.

  Althea's eyes illuminated, shifting from Golden to green and back again as she walked toward the disheveled Shifters, changing seamlessly back into her human. Iris had never seen her look so delicate yet strong at the same time. Where her naked body should've been, there was a mist of magic wrapping around her, forming an aura of clothing. Shocked, Iris stepped forward watching as her sister reached down and snatched the tiger Shifter, the one still slightly conscious, by his human neck and squeezed.

  Iris called out to her sister but then realized that Althea couldn't hear her. Suddenly it all became clear; she was in a dream, or a vision, watching her sister as she Battled her foe alongside what looked to be her three mates. The three Bears changed into their strong, handsome human forms. One of them stepped up, ready to stop Althea from finishing the job that she had already started on the Tiger Shifter. However, before he could, another one of the men put his hand out and stopped him.

  "Not yet. We have to see what type of control she has. We're here to help her, not control her. But I have to admit, she is amazing."

  Iris had to agree with the man, but she couldn't just let her sister sit there and kill Shifter after Shifter, no matter what was going on. She mustered up the strength to move her feet, but as she did, that same pain seared through her head again, and everything began to spin. She fell to the ground, rolling onto her back, and grabbed her head, screaming.

  With the touch of someone’s hand on her shoulder, she jumped, gasping for air. She made it to her feet and scurried back against what she thought was a tree, but as her vision cleared, she realized that she was still in her room, staring at Brody and Arsenio. They looked startled, and Iris realized that she had been lying in her bed the whole time, screaming at the top of her lungs.

  She let the air trapped in her chest escape and plopped down on the bed. "I'm sorry. I had a dream about my sister."

  Frodi nodded. “We know, we could both see it as well. She looks to be handling things quite well, though.”

  Iris glanced from Frodi to Arsenio and then slowly smiled. “I suppose you’re right. I just didn’t want her to…”

  Arsenio reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. “You have to remember that this is a war of sorts. There’s a possibility that you’ll have to do the same.”

  Iris nodded, realizing that what he was saying was entirely valid. "I know. And I was ready as I can be for that, it's just different seeing your sister, your sweet sister, in that position." Iris glanced over at the window, finding that the light from the city had gotten brighter, streaks of actual sunlight shining down from the cracks and crevices in the canyon. "Is it morning?"

  Frodi and Arsenio looked over at the window, nodding. Frodi picked up her robe and handed it over to her. “It is. We’re figuring we should probably get going soon.”

  Iris held the robe in her lap, rubbing her fingers against the soft satin. “You’re right. I didn’t mean to sleep this late. I’ll meet you guys out front.”

  Both Arsenio and Frodi nodded, leaving her on her own in her room. Iris took a moment to gather herself, shaking off the remnants of the dream or vision. She wondered if Althea knew that she was there, or had even felt her presence at all. It didn't matter, though, it was probably best, the last thing Althea needed at that moment was a distraction. Iris focused her mind on the travel ahead and gathered her things before meeting the guys in the hallway. When they reached the gates of the castle, Calvary was waiting for them.

  "I know that you've collected things to make a harness for yourself," Calvary said. "And unfortunately, you weren't able to bring it back, but I had my men prepare something for you. It's a soft harness, so if you crash land again, don't use it as landing gear. But it should hold together a lot better."

  One of Calvary's staff walked over, holding a large leather harness that looked almost like a gigantic book bag. They helped her slip into it and held it up before she turned into her Griffin. She glanced back at Calvary, nodding her head. "I appreciate it."

  Calvary smiled at her, and she couldn't help but notice the concern behind his eyes. "Good luck, and we'll be here waiting for you."

  Frodi, Arsenio, and Iris transformed in
to their respective animal bodies and flew from the caves. As they reached the surface though, they quickly turned back into their humans and walked far enough away so that they wouldn’t be spotted. It was an arduous walk, and by the time they had reached the spot to transform, they were more than ready to become sky bound. They looked around at each other and grinned, all three of them taking off their clothes, Iris dragging her new harness behind her, and shifting into her Griffin. They took flight, racing through the skies, twisting and turning between each other, and opening their minds so they were able to communicate telepathically.

  Iris couldn't remember the last time that she was able to fly with other Shifters, and despite the severity of their task, all three of them allowed themselves to have a little fun. It was a beautiful blue sky, and the winds were low. The group probably covered twice as much ground as they would have if they'd been flying at an average speed, but they were having far too much fun to stop. As the sun began to lower, Frodi spotted Frogmore up ahead.

  "Let's just set it down there in the field below, and we'll get dressed before we head into town," Iris said.

  The guys followed her down, all three turning into their humans as they touched down in the tall grasses. They pulled their clothes from Iris' harness and dressed, before hiding the large backpack within the weeds. The three of them headed into the town to grab food and a place to sleep for the night. The town was small, heritage and history surging through it from the small stone buildings to the visible new editions of real shingles instead of thatched roofs.

  About halfway into town, there was a pub, and the three decided that was the best place for them to go. They wanted to stay low-key, and it didn't look like there were a ton of places to eat in the area. As they entered the pub, they found it loud and boisterous, and no one paid a bit of attention to them as they walked in. They headed over to the bar, Frodi and Iris turned around and scanned the crowd as Arsenio ordered some food and drinks. Iris watched a man, standing in the center of the room, all eyes on him, telling some sort of daring detective story.

  “And there I was, stuck between the bushes,” the guy said with a dramatic tone. “Ahead of me were two guards, and to my right, just through the window, was the boss. But my mind wasn’t even on the guns they were carrying. It was on the fact that I was stark naked hiding in the bushes.”

  Several of the men chuckled, and Arsenio handed Iris a beer, glancing over at Frodi, who was chuckling. The guy continued. "What did I do you might ask? Well, I snapped a branch off that bush, and I walked straight out and directly up to the guards, tapping them on the shoulder."

  As he talked, his eyes came up and met with Iris'. As soon as they latched onto each other, Iris realized that he was a Shifter. She could sense it in him though she wasn't exactly sure what type yet. His recognition was undeniable, his eyes growing wide, and his stance becoming statuesque. Iris was almost disappointed that he recognized her as he hurriedly ended his story and made his way through the crowd over to where they were.

  Arsenio immediately stepped in front of her, his body at least twice as big as hers. She laughed and put her hand on his arm, leaning around him. "It's all right. You can let him through."

  She watched as Arsenio stuck out his fist, tapping the other men as if they knew each other. The man turned to Frodi and gave him a nod. She didn't ask questions right away, and let him step up to her, giving her a small bow. "The Griffin High Alpha, I knew you would be coming through here."

  Iris kept a small smirk on her lips. “Let me guess, a vision?”

  He chuckled, glancing at Frodi and Arsenio. "Since I was a little boy, but they've become stronger over the last few days. Especially…" He lowered his voice and leaned toward them. "Especially after the Bats came."

  Iris’ eyes narrowed. “They came here?”

  He shook his head. "No, they came to a smaller town just a few miles from here called Weather Cove, one of the many unknown and unrecognized towns on the continent of Helspar. I had a vision after and knew that you would be here, so I came. I've been here for two days waiting."

  Iris scanned him up and down, knowing deep in her chest that she trusted him, even if she figured she shouldn't. "What's your name?"

  He pulled the hat off of his head and held it to his chest. "I'm sorry. My name is Alo, and I'm a private detective by day and an Owl Shifter by night. The Bats came to me, requesting that I work with them, but I already knew what they were up to. While they normally would kill anyone against them, they know not to mess with the Owls, their superstitious ways get the best of them sometimes.”

  Iris liked him. He was intelligent, a thinker, and from the way he conducted himself, she could tell he could work himself out of any situation. That was a gift that they could probably use in the coming days. “And you came here to find me?”

  He nodded. "I've known for a long time that my destiny lies with you. Of course, I didn't know who exactly you were until the Bats arrived. I've come to help you on your journey to the stone."

  Iris felt a surge of energy bounce from Frodi to Alo to Arsenio, and back to her again. It was unlike anything she had felt before; it was strong enough to penetrate through her muscles and bones, making her feel braver and stronger just where she stood. She gave Alo a nod. "Then you should come. We leave at dawn. If the Bats are getting restless, we can use all the help we can get to find the stone as quickly as possible."

  The bartender set boxed up food on the bar, and Arsenio paid him. Frodi nodded out toward the door. "There's a hotel right across the street. We'll get some rooms and get a good night's sleep. Arsenio requires sleep tonight, so I'll stand watch."

  Iris nodded and walked toward the door, trying not to reveal having noticed the guys shaking hands and patting each other on the back. It was a strange bond that they had, one that they had developed only through dreams and visions but seemed just as strong as her and her sisters. That bond also seemed to seep out from them, wrapping itself around her.

  Once in the hotel, Arsenio took to his room and Alo to his, Frodi joining Iris on her own. She dropped her things on the table and pulled the rubber band from her hair, letting her long curls fall over her shoulders. The purple tips were almost gone, but Iris didn't mind as there were much more important things on her plate. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she patted the seat next to her. Frodi smiled and walked over, sitting down and turning toward her.

  It was the closest they had been since they had met each other, minus when they had fought together. Iris took in his muscular physique and the kindness behind his eyes. She liked the way that he spoke to her, always recognizing her point of view, while at the same time leading her to understand a greater vision. She hadn't even realized he had done that until she saw the recognition between him and Alo.

  “May I ask you a question?” Iris tilted her head to the side with a smile.

  Frodi nodded. “Of course, you can. I have nothing to hide.”

  Just sitting there, Iris felt the pull between them, a seduction almost. She swallowed hard and cleared her throat, trying to push away the feeling. “Why do you do work for the Griffins and not the Ravens?”

  Frodi nodded as if he expected the question. "Because there's a common bond between our two species. And, because as a boy I had a dream, or a vision, whatever you want to call it, that I would be called upon by the Griffins to protect the whole of the Shifter race." He leaned in toward Iris, but she didn't move, feeling her breath catch in her throat. Lifting his hand, he pushed a piece of hair from in front of her face. "I knew as soon as I saw you, that we were destined to be close to one another."

  Iris' eyes grew heavy, and she couldn't fight it off, the pull that leaned her right into him. At that moment, even though it made no sense to her, and even though the feeling was foreign, she knew that all she wanted was him.

  Chapter Nine

  When their lips touched, there was an explosion. The hair on the back of Iris' neck stood on end, and she shivered. Yet she still c
ouldn't take her hands away from him. He moved closer to her, his body strong but comfortable next to hers. Frodi's hands slid up her thighs onto her waist, as her lips moved across his, a force keeping them together. Her mind tried to interject, but there was something stronger there, something feeding her as if she were starving.

  The more their bodies touched, the closer they became, the hungrier she got. Her hands slid up the back of Frodi's neck and into his hair, gripping handfuls of his locks. She opened her mouth and let him inside, their tongues twisting around each other. She could feel every slip of his fingers, every trickle of heat that he gave off as he lifted her shirt up and over her head. Even for that one moment, she didn't want to release his lips and was right back to them as soon as her shirt hit the floor.

  The lust between them began to pick up, and he unsnapped her bra, sliding it forward and letting it fall to the floor. She gasped into his mouth as his hands groped her, firm but tender. He kneaded into her as she quickly unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it down over his shoulders. She released her lips from his and slid over his cheek and down to the crease of his neck. Pulling her body forward, she climbed into his lap and wrapped her legs around him. His fingers dug into her skin, feeding the fire that was already blazing hot inside of her.

  With a quick swift movement, he grabbed her by the waist and flipped her onto her back. Crawling over her, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her stomach as he grabbed the waistband of her pants and pulled them slowly over her hips off of her body. Her breath increased as he did the same with her panties, running his lips along her abdomen, the tip of his tongue sliding along her skin. She wanted to feel those lips against her, but she wanted to feel him inside her even more. She couldn't explain the savagery that was rolling around inside of her, but she almost felt that if she didn't have him, she wouldn't survive.